Yep, it's an old, old trick to produce products under a name that looks like (and in some languages sounds like) the "real thing". Don't deal with anyone selling "Shimaro" or "Shimanno" parts, unless you fully understand that you're getting counterfeit parts.
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Daniel R HicksSep 19 '11 at 22:14

1

This is why you should always buy parts from a reputable LBS whenever possible.
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KibbeeSep 20 '11 at 12:29

3

Your friend is misinformed; the best bike parts are Campagnolo.
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onestopSep 20 '11 at 19:13

Also worth noting that there are 3 mainstream manufacturers in high end bicycle drivetrain components - Shimano, SRAM, and Campagnolo. If you're looking at mountain bike drivetrain components, that leaves just Shimano and SRAM. Each company has its strengths and weaknesses so I suggest you try at least SRAM and Shimano out for yourself to see which one you prefer. They're similar but different and you may find that you have a preference for one of them.
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joelmdevJan 7 '13 at 4:08